tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34869095496289736372024-03-18T21:16:34.428-04:00The Denholms BlogDenholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-23266017088868746592017-12-11T15:37:00.002-05:002017-12-11T15:37:46.707-05:00Seeking Denholms memorabilia<h2 class="title">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am asking everyone if the are cleaning out their basements or attics
to please consider donating or selling your Denholms memorabilia to me.
Over the past 30 years I have been assembling and curating Denholms
items to help preserve the history of Worcester's largest store. The collection will be willed to the Worcester Historical Museum when I pass.<br /><br />My email is <b>denholms1@yahoo.com</b><br /><br />I am interested in;<br />-old catalogs<br />-paper items<br />-store fixtures<br />-mannequins<br />-signage<br />-Denholms labels<br />-photographs<br />-shopping bags<br />etc...<br />Thank you in advance!<br />Christopher</span></span>Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-16702211278606453402017-12-11T15:34:00.002-05:002017-12-11T15:34:23.090-05:00The Denholms blog will be endingDue to difficulty posting, and the switch to Facebook, the Denholms blog will not be updated starting January 1st, 2018. To see current and vintage news stories regarding the store, please view the posts on Facebook. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/denholms.worcester" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/denholms.worcester</a><br />
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I will be leaving all posts up on Blogger that have been previously posted.<br />
Thank you and best wishes to you for the holidays.<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-32300658665613482392017-09-12T11:33:00.001-04:002017-09-12T11:40:19.642-04:00The Early Days of the Denholm and McKay Company<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1884</td></tr>
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Here are two images showing The Denholm and McKay Company after it had moved to the 484 Main Street location. The top image shows the original facade with the Jonas Clark lettering affixed on the center tower, as well as all of the advertising signs of the inhabitants of the upper floors. The building originally housed Becker Junior college, The architectural firm of Earl and Fuller, as well as other various law offices. Denholms at this point only housed product on the Main floor and lower level, and bought up upper floors as they became available. The second image of an early 1900s ad shows the whole building now converted to the store. The ad also shows what types of goods were popular at the turn of the century. Notice the original three entrances to the building.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1900</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_244450003"></span><span id="goog_244450004"></span><br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-39718717040991225562017-06-26T10:54:00.001-04:002017-06-26T10:54:36.604-04:00I Dreamed I floated to India on my Perma- FirmThis is a window from 1965 showcasing the "Perma Firm" line of
mattresses by Crimson Shield, located on the 4th floor. As a full line
department store, Denholms would promote seasonal sales happening
throughout the store, but the windows were primarily used to showcase
women's apparel and accessories. I have always loved this window, and
remember having one of these mattresses as a child.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhFcVbTF6YW5S6CUxqaix17GJVAyJgtxf7VYnSFzzSX0Y7lLdhmGgPI_BLCs83TUzmEuTDXM1HWVdCTcvT5pYOIdS2aJSaKmVvAHFbyxl0T7UfFFGaA3nkho5aBKTYF3q1Hp0NsrcF_pT/s1600/08-29-2009+06%253B49%253B18pm+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhFcVbTF6YW5S6CUxqaix17GJVAyJgtxf7VYnSFzzSX0Y7lLdhmGgPI_BLCs83TUzmEuTDXM1HWVdCTcvT5pYOIdS2aJSaKmVvAHFbyxl0T7UfFFGaA3nkho5aBKTYF3q1Hp0NsrcF_pT/s640/08-29-2009+06%253B49%253B18pm+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-65268408800754908322017-04-06T09:21:00.000-04:002017-04-06T09:21:24.971-04:00Denholms goes abroad!Recently I was contacted by an architectural firm designing a new hotel
in London. How shocked and surprised I was to hear that they would
like to use vintage Denholms windows to wallpaper the end of the
hallways on all 3 floors! It's so nice to know that the legend of
Denholms still lives on after all these years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqYkChNeAYvGTp-iFZ03ikzP7RwYZB9MkHMzemDKifFjr6B140h0wkOGHDMr2MekDMC_7WccGkYOaEvDVUgq1u-yVhVGsbb7dW5tgybemY1MXh3F41BbCukrPL5xTYx4gpdDkVmmawl-Y/s1600/Artwork-in-corridor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqYkChNeAYvGTp-iFZ03ikzP7RwYZB9MkHMzemDKifFjr6B140h0wkOGHDMr2MekDMC_7WccGkYOaEvDVUgq1u-yVhVGsbb7dW5tgybemY1MXh3F41BbCukrPL5xTYx4gpdDkVmmawl-Y/s400/Artwork-in-corridor.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-47394988599682162402017-02-10T10:51:00.003-05:002017-02-10T10:51:30.362-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Give Cupid a lift with a valentines gift" reads the copy for this 1956
lingerie window. It's a classic example of a window display from that
era, for the Valentine's Day holiday. I hope you enjoy!Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-88404152211534542712016-11-14T13:31:00.000-05:002016-11-14T13:31:31.024-05:00Preservation Worcester celebrates Denholms for the holidays<div style="text-align: center;">
This Year Preservation Worcester chose Denholms for their holiday fundraiser. To prepare for this, we have been working everyday to make the decor, spruce up the interior of the building as we prepare to bring back the aesthetic of the former store. Join us as we light up the facade with the former tree..a sight that has not been seen in over 40 years! If you are interested in buying tickets, please click on the link below.</div>
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Hope to see you all there!</div>
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Saturday December 10th,2016</div>
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7:30 pm-11:00pm </div>
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<a href="http://www.preservationworcester.org/pages/events.html" target="_blank">http://www.preservationworcester.org/pages/events.html</a> </div>
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-34770266838279012842016-08-31T12:59:00.001-04:002016-08-31T12:59:52.849-04:00Denholms for the holidays<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am thrilled to announce that Preservation Worcester is having its
holiday event at the historic Denholms building. See the building all
decorated and lit up for the first time in over 40 years. <br /> <b>Saturday December 10th 7:30-11:30 pm</b><br /> RSVP to Preservation Worcester at 508-754-8760<br /> Experience the magic that was Denholms!</span></div>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-56986740954781568552016-08-07T15:42:00.000-04:002016-08-07T15:43:25.606-04:00Vintage Denholms advertisements<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Some wonderful old ads highlighting the women's dress and coat
departments. The art of illustrations in advertising is starting to
make a come back and it is such a refreshing change to traditional
photography. All of these were hand drawn in the advertising department
which was on the sixth floor.</div>
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-17083791520875519352016-05-15T14:04:00.000-04:002016-05-15T14:04:40.865-04:00My Denholms storyI Wanted to share a wonderful article that my friend Joyce posted on her blog. <br />
Joyce and I met over our love of the city of Worcester, and how we
might be able to lend a hand to help revitalize the downtown core. I am
very humbled by the words she has written about me.<br />
<br />
To read the full article along with pictures please click on the link-<a href="http://www.janejacobsinthewoo.org/blog/2016/5/4/woovoice-3-chris-sawyer-store-window-designer" target="_blank">http://www.janejacobsinthewoo.org/blog/2016/5/4/woovoice-3-chris-sawyer-store-window-designer</a><br />
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<div class="entry-dateline">
<time class="dt-published published entry-date" datetime="2016-05-09" pubdate=""><a class="entry-dateline-link" href="http://www.janejacobsinthewoo.org/blog/2016/5/4/woovoice-3-chris-sawyer-store-window-designer">May 9, 2016</a></time>
<time class="dt-updated updated" datetime="2016-05-09"></time>
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<a class="u-url" href="http://www.janejacobsinthewoo.org/blog/2016/5/4/woovoice-3-chris-sawyer-store-window-designer" rel="bookmark">WooVoice #3: Chris Sawyer, Store Window Designer</a>
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<em>Chris
Sawyer has not had a vacation in five years. For his day job, he
travels up and down the east coast and Chicago to design the store
windows for over twenty Ralph Lauren stores. For the past five years,
he has returned to Worcester during his precious vacation time to donate
his energy to beautifying the store windows of the Denholm building
downtown at 484 Main Street. He does whatever it takes to maintain the
beauty he remembered during his youth, anything from washing the windows
to creating intricate design stories for all to see on Main Street.</em></div>
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<em> </em><em>Until
the 1970s, the Denholm and McKay Company operated as the premiere
department store in Central Massachusetts, drawing people from locally
and all over New England. As a boy, Chris fell in love with the glamour
of the store and the beauty of the windows that inspired his career as a
window designer. Some of you may be sad by his words. He details the
end of the era of family owned department stores now bought out by
national chains such as Macy’s as well as the demise of his own
profession as retailers cut costs on “visual merchandizing”. I actually
feel inspired by Chris – his generosity, his dedication to the Denholm
building and downtown Worcester, his altruism and humility. What can
you say about a man who comes back here to wash and beautify the windows
of a building, pro bono? Chris now has the largest collection of
Denholm memorabilia that will someday be donated to the Worcester
Historical Museum. He has channeled his passion into a<a href="http://denholms.blogspot.com/"> blog</a> and a co-authored 2011 book, Denholms: The Story of Worcester’s Premiere Department Store.</em><br />
<strong>The love affair with Denholms started early</strong><br />
"I
grew up in Princeton. My grandmother always worked here at Denholms
for almost thirty years. I used to come down with her every Saturday,
shadow her and see what she did for work and walk around….I was four
years old and I remember being taken up to the 6th floor that at the
time was the beauty salon and display department. The display people
would take and walk me around throughout the store. I remember it
clearly. It was so beautiful. I remember coming back in 1983 when they
were turning it all into offices. I went with my grandmother. There
was construction going on and she said, “I used to work here. Could I
just go in and see it one more time?” I was thirteen and my jaw
dropped. I have all the polaroids I took that day. I just couldn’t
believe the level of beauty… I mean it was New York level of beauty that
was here in this building. I remember lying and telling them I had a
term paper so the owner of the building would let me in and walk
around. I studied every square inch of this building before it was
fully converted. I knew where every single thing was - the finish on
the walls, the lettering. The building is almost like a part of me.
People joke that my ashes are going to be scattered on the roof!"<br />
<strong>Remembering Worcester and Denholms in its heyday</strong><br />
<strong>" </strong>This
downtown was booming in the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. In the 70s, that’s
when the downtown here and across the country started fading off.
People were going to suburbia. The idea of new malls was enticing to
them. It was a different generation coming into the shopping market so a
lot of downtowns fell apart. That’s the story of Worcester."<br />
<strong>Denholms as inspiration for a career in visual merchandising</strong><br />
"When
I was young, my grandmother had a big book on the building given to her
as a going away gift when she left. I would analyze every single
photo, every single window display. That’s how I got involved in this
field, inspired by Denholms and seeing what they did at the time. The
60s and 70s were the height of window display. All your budget was
thrown towards windows. They were elaborate and custom. I started
analyzing the photos and thought, “I want to do this!” It’s bittersweet
because I’m ready for the next phase in life but it’s sad to see your
industry go. It would be like seeing the theater close down
everywhere. I think you will see bust forms instead of mannequins, one
prop instead of a whole story, I think retailers are going to go real
streamline so that they can get their image across at a cheaper price.
So, now I have to come up with phase two in life and I don’t know what
phase two is."<br />
<strong>The Real Reason Why Denholms Closed</strong><br />
"This
store had one bad year after the mall opened up and then it was fine.
The mall was not the reason why this store closed. The gentleman who
bought the company from the family, had a lot of other companies in
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He owned Shepard’s Department Store in
Rhode Island, a knitwear factory in Lawrence, all failing. Denholms
paid for everything. He siphoned the equity out of this company to fuel
his other companies and then made this go bankrupt. I don’t think the
mall helped. In one year after the mall opened, revenue dropped almost
5%. It may have survived maybe another five more years but it probably
would have been bought up at some point. Now, these kind of local
department stores are almost gone. Companies like Macy’s just bought
all these stores and renamed them Macy’s. It wouldn’t have been
Denholms anymore at this point."<br />
<strong>On Denholm’s now, 2016:</strong><br />
<strong> "</strong>This
is just a shell of what it was. It makes me horribly sad. I know it
could never exist anymore, the way retail is but it makes me sad to see
the condition the building is in right now. The architecture is called
“streamlined moderne” right after the art deco period before the 1950s
kitschy atomic era. This was the era of Glenn Miller and big band
music. That’s what the exterior looked like and the interior followed
suit. Denholms was a building that has been here for over 100 years and
it was constantly being maintained and upgraded. It was the most
modernized department store outside of Boston."</div>
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"Even the escalator over there, those
glass panels were all hand screened in Paris and flown over. Now, you
can't replace them. If we have empty ones or they crack, they can't be
replaced because they were all hand done."
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"It’s
sad to see but it is a sign of the city. This city used to be
stunning. There was industry here. It was kind of like our Detroit.
You can see the glory in some of the structures like the art museum,
Federal Square, the Auditorium, Notre Dame which is so important. They
want to take that building down which is a shame. You don’t tear that
down. You just don’t. It could never be replaced again. I don’t know
why in the city, they will easily tear down its architecture that makes
this city amazing."<br />
"It’s so different down here. There were so
many department stores. Six of them at one time. It was very
prosperous and safe. I’d walk around here late at night because I got
my first apartment right around the corner. It was so safe. I never,
never felt threatened. When I came back five years ago, I was, “Oh my
God! What happened!!??” That’s how I got interested in the building
again because I couldn’t believe how bad it had gotten."<br />
<strong>On being a store window designer</strong><br />
"I
was lucky to grow up in retail when retail was great. My first job was
at Jordan Marsh in Worcester center. In 1993, I got the job at
Neiman’s. I took it because I needed to refine my eye and work with
better product and styling. That’s where I learned lighting design on
the job, exhibit design, proper styling of mannequins. It was a time
when people were still doing windows and interior mannequins and fresh
floral. Now, it’s all been removed because of budgets. No one wants to
do “realistics”, like this mannequin here that looks real. No one in
the younger generation knows how to style them. They were never
taught. I’m from the generation where stores were full of them to
present the product. It was a cost cutting. Every window in Neiman’s
used to be custom built."</div>
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"I
don’t have a desk job where I sit down. I like constant change and
every day is different. One day, I can be doing a women’s runway
window. The next day, I might be doing men’s clothing, just always
changing. I did a window when I first started with Ralph Loren. It was
the theme of Dr. Zhivago based on a Russian collection we had done. It
looked like the inside of a stately manor where the ceiling fell down
and it was pouring snow. It was so beautiful with all the drifting and
the fresh floral that had been captured in first frost. That was my
favorite window."<br />
"You can’t really learn the basics of what this
job takes. Half of the job is really creative and half is operational
in nature. When you are dealing with creative people, you manage them
differently. You are wearing so many different hats but I like that.
You can’t teach that. You can give an idea of composition and lighting
but until you are in a window with real theater lighting, working off
color, shadows, intensity of light, everything to make the whole window
pop and tell a story, you learn that on the job. Each of us has a role
to play in life. There are things you can do, I can’t do. This is
something I can do that not everyone can do. It’s about finding our
place in the puzzle."</div>
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<strong>Returning every vacation to update the windows</strong><br />
"Everyone
knows me in the building. When I come here, people say hi and I find
that very comforting. Everyone’s very down to earth and appreciative. I
want to take it further but it’s cost prohibitive. Five years ago, I
contacted the rep from the management company. Then, she went to the
trustees of the building to tell them I wanted to help. It’s a
sacrifice but not when you love something. There are times I walk out
of here and I’m covered in dirt head- to- toe with the biggest smile on
my face. It’s tiny baby steps but in the right direction. It’s hard
when you are dealing with a building of non-profits. You know they
don’t have the money. It’s not that anyone wants the building to look
like this, but no one has the capital. There are leaks here. The
building is old, built in 1882. It needs love. Thousands of dollars
just has to go into infrastructure – the air conditioning, the
escalators, the boilers, the electric, the roof. You never get to the
point where you can deal with the cosmetic. That’s always last because
you need your infrastructure and then, if you get ahead, you can work on
aesthetics."</div>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-28313867327922812312016-05-08T14:25:00.001-04:002016-05-08T14:25:31.907-04:00Great article on Denholms from the Worcester SunToday a wonderful article was done on my work at the Denholm building from the Worcester Sun (see link below), It highlights my dedication to preserving the history of Denholms as well as my excitement for a downtown revitalization. I hope that you enjoy the article.<br />
Best,<br />
Chris<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj1raE4SwhKeSOmavu8GxcqOfACG88Y75PvkqkweXPRkNG2RxWqy6PGNwOQvw1EHEpP0P7-h4Xm2JtMY8QnNYJJBKh9JcflLRQxhv_98TRlg7ZJV6ox9eHnSPGRJOJW33BZ6IfhY4O6_A/s1600/Copy+of+IMG_2499.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj1raE4SwhKeSOmavu8GxcqOfACG88Y75PvkqkweXPRkNG2RxWqy6PGNwOQvw1EHEpP0P7-h4Xm2JtMY8QnNYJJBKh9JcflLRQxhv_98TRlg7ZJV6ox9eHnSPGRJOJW33BZ6IfhY4O6_A/s400/Copy+of+IMG_2499.gif" width="308" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://worcester.ma/2016/05/sun-shine-windows-into-citys-past-at-denholms/Worcester%20sun" target="_blank">Worcester sun Denholms</a>Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-12905741507124235572016-02-21T13:52:00.000-05:002016-02-21T13:52:00.275-05:00Denholms collection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;">For over 30 years I have been collecting memorabilia on Denholms in
order to preserve the history that it brought to Worcester. I am
presently in the process of finally being able to showcase some of the
collection in my new condo. The curated items date from 1878-1973 One
room is being set aside and recreated to resemble a portion of the third
floor. I look forward to sharing pics soon of the mini-museum, and I
hope that it brings back some fond memories for you all!</td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh503USc7TxYzIb7w2syfhc2Urw3UFn1MaTgdbrY8qgUHSEBOwWKuj4LFr_KetJHiWJiwUT9ZF8rjtGFOrkl9S1v9kNCXXRuBXd5a4fVIMvg8Qa9PJ61pfoJfHznnnT3MHTkybPSmpW5MFX/s320/denholms+directory.jpg" width="179" /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvo0QsSEj1cbE8PDoQJbOjwZHwfInUofJZzI7J2jB3QiQbzTwfPZfFA1s8-XVBvzIU6g_OP8lW8cngSbAOtH6c8gwaAE-0tSK1vYtZ-W_0tjr4sHrBiCs1_aSIOuaPxr1E9HQUcpuqrHm/s1600/mannequin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvo0QsSEj1cbE8PDoQJbOjwZHwfInUofJZzI7J2jB3QiQbzTwfPZfFA1s8-XVBvzIU6g_OP8lW8cngSbAOtH6c8gwaAE-0tSK1vYtZ-W_0tjr4sHrBiCs1_aSIOuaPxr1E9HQUcpuqrHm/s320/mannequin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">original 1960s Denholms mannequin restored</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC_qzCSgHRP8JFo4VK7gIK5X8GvDwRGz8pWu_t8vw9dwkZzf8RF6hrGRoAigLh_pwFrvaEvGern7J7cPw29EcT_KaFVGpKGt9yzF24iSIkHZs3TRDn52jzLOY93pgdbtWKdfHu1N0zgCI/s1600/photo+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC_qzCSgHRP8JFo4VK7gIK5X8GvDwRGz8pWu_t8vw9dwkZzf8RF6hrGRoAigLh_pwFrvaEvGern7J7cPw29EcT_KaFVGpKGt9yzF24iSIkHZs3TRDn52jzLOY93pgdbtWKdfHu1N0zgCI/s320/photo+5.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">original hand painted signs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVeq7-95qxUwW363AKJWdyndoGBkvmisxKBB8N9V7RncKozAhbSNG_TjGvHofm_feQ2XD6iLsCJXoQvOenku5tWg4Hcpju5iSRqZdrbQUFVsbgIPTKiA4aJJadZA-gK8V2AO2Pfk6aq6B/s1600/wall+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVeq7-95qxUwW363AKJWdyndoGBkvmisxKBB8N9V7RncKozAhbSNG_TjGvHofm_feQ2XD6iLsCJXoQvOenku5tWg4Hcpju5iSRqZdrbQUFVsbgIPTKiA4aJJadZA-gK8V2AO2Pfk6aq6B/s400/wall+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">replicate mannequin wall</td></tr>
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-33814476388110918662015-12-04T15:24:00.000-05:002015-12-04T15:24:29.310-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDBwt99065fFDRU7D5ybVBr-wxGFmlt5JwHJOwcHhhKK3ihTkXyyYxHyScTgxB6PQq4_VtukKTry-haYUVdRlrKmbb8gCgpB0xTqTlwVss8_kYzOP9VG5otUe0VCImDfb6nCpJX77tzmd/s640/08-10-2008+03%253B22%253B29pm+%25282%2529.jpg" width="571" /> </div>
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Every year, this iconic photo shows up on Facebook, and other social media sites and is shared hundreds of times over. It is such a shame that an image that brings a smile to so many, is all but a memory. I wish the city of Worcester would at least project the tree of lights onto the exterior of Denholms for the holiday season or even just for First Night. Downtown needs some sparkle, some light, to help foster a festive atmosphere. How amazing would it be to have this replicated for future generations to enjoy. Other big cities across the nation still dress up their former stores facades with exterior lights to continue the tradition, isn't it time we took a step forward and treated our own buildings with a bit more dignity, especially at the holidays.</div>
Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0484 Main St, Worcester, MA 01608, USA42.2626117 -71.80297259999997616.7405772 -113.11156659999997 67.7846462 -30.494378599999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-76259844742876725502015-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:002015-08-30T06:00:01.977-04:00Updated windows at the Denholm BuildingThis week I was able to get away from my full time job to spend a little time at the Denholm Building to update their windows. It had been a year since I had been there last, so it was in desperate need for an update. Very little money was spent on these windows, and I like the challenge of having to work with everyday items. I usually choose paper as my medium, as it is inexpensive and comes in a lot of variety such as cups, envelopes, 8 x 10 sheets etc...<br />
I would hope that other retailers, or owners of vacant store fronts would try to put their best foot forward to create a better street-scape for the Downtown area.... It deserves it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYefmMABtHHBxwtLOcUSW0WeGaBeqRIdmVXABXFHGwHqI7Sw34dZwlYXUK6FO6c0HR3hJuX5-6y5z9Jf_0WkzN0u-KrJalF-kV6T9CrURWMY3vrZa-lZcuvIpvBJK0YPrpLaO6mxhyphenhyphen3ZyU/s1600/wcac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYefmMABtHHBxwtLOcUSW0WeGaBeqRIdmVXABXFHGwHqI7Sw34dZwlYXUK6FO6c0HR3hJuX5-6y5z9Jf_0WkzN0u-KrJalF-kV6T9CrURWMY3vrZa-lZcuvIpvBJK0YPrpLaO6mxhyphenhyphen3ZyU/s640/wcac.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
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The is a window for the Worcester Community Action Council which is celebrating it's 50th anniversary. The material here is journal rolls from registers swagged in various formations to create a drape like effect as the back drop. The copy strip at the bottom is also made from seamless paper-curled and folded.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIq6V7ysoC0BzlcwgyOqRxv_LEhWIMPThB2Cbo6JWiYb7kCU48jtfC02Yjzlj0or-BTKYXIRUXAnhtXprqxThBkGIxQnjnii4auOPWJQNq4qSHBih4juFYw6OjWeT0HmdZf0ILsdHBkeu/s1600/dress+for+success.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIq6V7ysoC0BzlcwgyOqRxv_LEhWIMPThB2Cbo6JWiYb7kCU48jtfC02Yjzlj0or-BTKYXIRUXAnhtXprqxThBkGIxQnjnii4auOPWJQNq4qSHBih4juFYw6OjWeT0HmdZf0ILsdHBkeu/s640/dress+for+success.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This window was created for Dress for Success and it comprised of 500 sheets of gold paper twisted and curled into different formations to create this large scale organic structure to play off the mannequins leopard scarf. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Df0O17qC7-b6SEhsLCanZzGPCjifIOro_Gm7NAmrO7cMp2sQKK1rR7HALyttZiA_yyPmIelFNOF7EsF3Ifz4qnBPfO_43GOZZwN2O82IQN8dqmA3MY43OpqEPi2phSKoS7nP6MyGlg9V/s1600/IMG_0350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Df0O17qC7-b6SEhsLCanZzGPCjifIOro_Gm7NAmrO7cMp2sQKK1rR7HALyttZiA_yyPmIelFNOF7EsF3Ifz4qnBPfO_43GOZZwN2O82IQN8dqmA3MY43OpqEPi2phSKoS7nP6MyGlg9V/s320/IMG_0350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is a close up detail of the varied shapes. A chicken wire structure was used to affix the paper too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-_J_V0ynZ0LTY1GjV_tROialrdsTuSbp7sM90II81RDpofViACX_Q2NhHkfmqVh-6NV_WHmoxAEm8Olq-eSMKAQxTptrZV7JZtn-c3xQ2zKpDCIj9HJV2k4neNQ0UTTV_ubtqiURE3kJ/s1600/window+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-_J_V0ynZ0LTY1GjV_tROialrdsTuSbp7sM90II81RDpofViACX_Q2NhHkfmqVh-6NV_WHmoxAEm8Olq-eSMKAQxTptrZV7JZtn-c3xQ2zKpDCIj9HJV2k4neNQ0UTTV_ubtqiURE3kJ/s640/window+22.jpg" width="432" /></a></div>
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The last window is to highlight vacant space for rent in the building. In order to fill the space I strung 400 paper circles onto back yarn and spaced them so it resembles bubbling water. Gels on the lights highlight the red circles. This is a temporary install as I have to get back in to complete it once some of piping is corrected under the floors.</div>
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I always look forward to my time spent in Worcester at my favorite building. I only hope that others appreciate a decorated window as much as I do.</div>
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Best,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Christopher</div>
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com3484 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, USA42.2626117 -71.80297259999997616.7405772 -113.11156659999997 67.7846462 -30.494378599999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-34318933192648135702015-08-16T09:24:00.000-04:002015-08-16T09:24:17.841-04:00Denholm's lives again in talk at Holden senior center<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLilQJ2HkGIF5USJffc7YNs0fUvRI9DtekrE5K0QSGe0xOywTpoXIK3Iq4V0TIofCvsOQ8_HfsWMc9xnJfy9y-rNCYB_1gjUOKLNew9NqPGZUGbjMPvrbtEhK0UaqUWjnkJHfaktRkyYY/s1600/Copy+%25282%2529+of+logo+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLilQJ2HkGIF5USJffc7YNs0fUvRI9DtekrE5K0QSGe0xOywTpoXIK3Iq4V0TIofCvsOQ8_HfsWMc9xnJfy9y-rNCYB_1gjUOKLNew9NqPGZUGbjMPvrbtEhK0UaqUWjnkJHfaktRkyYY/s320/Copy+%25282%2529+of+logo+clean.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px;">
By Sandy Meindersma Correspondent
</div>
<br />
<span>
Posted Aug. 14, 2015 at 6:06 AM
</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
HOLDEN - Denholm & McKay
Department Store in Worcester and Auburn closed more than 40 years ago,
but its patrons still remember the store with great affection.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It
was the place to be,” Jeannette Holmes said. “On Wednesday nights they
would stay open late and you would work until 5, get dinner and then go.
It was a happening place.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mrs. Holmes was at
the Holden Senior Center last week for a presentation by Christopher
Sawyer on the store. Mr. Sawyer, whose grandmother worked at the store
for 27 years until it closed in 1973, published a book on the store,
"Denholm's: The Story of Worcester's Premier Department Store," with
co-author Patricia Wolf, whose father Henry Wolf led the store in the
1950s and 1960s.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mr. Sawyer said that he was
only 5 when Denholm’s closed, but he was always intrigued by the store
and its history, especially after discovering his grandmother’s
memorabilia from the store, which he continues to add to.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“I fell in love with it,” he said. “It’s a very important piece of Worcester’s history, and it was, for more than 100 years.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mr.
Sawyer, who is the creative director for Ralph Lauren and formerly was
with Neiman Marcus, said that when the new building was built on Main
Street across from City Hall, it was the first building to have air
conditioning, the first to have electricity, and that the Denholm and
McKay power plant also provided electricity to south Main Street.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It
was called the Denholm and McKay Power Plant,” Mr. Sawyer said. “It was
the first building in the city to have escalators, called ‘escal-aires’
and they are the only ones in the world made like that.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“They
are thinner, and all the mechanism is underneath. I have reached out to
Otis Escalator to see if there is any way to preserve them, since they
cost $40,000 a year to operate,” he said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The
Main Street building survived the great fire of 1921, thanks to the
firewalls and sprinkler system that was installed when the building was
constructed.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“The Knowles Building next store had to be demolished, but Denholm’s was only shut door for one day,” Mr. Sawyer said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Originally
designed by architect Jonas Clark, the Denholm building was given an
Art Moderne style facelift in the early 1950s. The new facade features a
lighter stone on the upper floors, with a darker base, which Mr. Sawyer
said was black Belgian marble.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“It’s no longer quarried, so if a piece is damaged, it’s gone,” he said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mr.
Sawyer said that the display windows were a key piece of the store’s
advertising and often were more effective than print advertising in
bringing customers into the store and educating them about the trends.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Christmas
was always a special time at Denholms, and beginning in 1954, the store
featured an 80 foot tall tree of light on the front of the store, made
from 2,500 bulbs and a 12-foot star.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“I’d love
to get that projected back onto the building for First Night,” Mr.
Sawyer said. “When the store closed, Thom McAn took it over and put it
up for a number of years.”</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The store, which merged in 1969 with Gladdings Department Store in Providence, closed on Thanksgiving Eve 1973.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mr.
Sawyer has also created a blog on Denholm's, featuring historical
photos, which may be seen at http://denholms.blogspot.com/.</blockquote>
Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-56964217080361238032015-04-04T16:01:00.000-04:002015-04-04T16:05:47.533-04:00Happy Easter 1954<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfVaQlYE3HCm00u8m2BOUUKNdlDIqaVGNdjvN5cW_9-zAUT2dfRPJ5ixdSOJqQphF6omYowKqSjnU7g5wO9sn4Dk8Bnd2hOS3aOnie7_jAcDmpXrXxVFQ5NmHb76WUPCwjbdg_pVC9jMb/s1600/08-30-2009+02;17;32pm+(2).jpg" height="486" width="640" /></div>
<br />
Remember the days when whole families would get all dressed up for Easter Sunday? This photo is from Denholms in 1954 and focuses around the crispness of navy and pure white. I love the styling of the seated mannequin with her gloves in hand as well as her structured bag. The clam shell hat is the final touch to what was in vogue during that time. All of these mannequins are in a simple setting of a lilac tree and scatter grass....a typical early Denholms way of approaching display.<br />
I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and enjoy your families.Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-3431770368018358672015-01-28T14:03:00.000-05:002015-01-28T14:03:00.263-05:00Denholms mannequin refinishedI recently sent out my vintage Denholms D.G Williams mannequin, and had her restored to what she originally looked like when she was brand new in 1963. I am beyond thrilled with her outcome and look forward to adding her to my ever expanding collection of Denholms memorabilia.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiPdlifEEB2lqc4Rtl38SyqA8ftLLIbMLn3c0IEXzmOIowjjUCfY1Y_sMzYVvhlA0YDOqgNuFgfL3DedZDu_NNkbV4ZWN0lxaTdm3vc1b4-BVXZ4rjMQ1CYHVi84cuRyoJwZYA3-IKPbr/s1600/mannequin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiPdlifEEB2lqc4Rtl38SyqA8ftLLIbMLn3c0IEXzmOIowjjUCfY1Y_sMzYVvhlA0YDOqgNuFgfL3DedZDu_NNkbV4ZWN0lxaTdm3vc1b4-BVXZ4rjMQ1CYHVi84cuRyoJwZYA3-IKPbr/s1600/mannequin.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-3224789157111635442014-11-03T16:50:00.000-05:002014-11-03T16:50:26.128-05:00Shopping Around the Common: slide show and lecture<img height="214" src="http://www.preservationworcester.org/pages/images/CommonAfterRenovationJULY71FrontStreet.jpg" width="320" /> <br />
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">On Sunday November 9th I will be giving a slide show and lecture at the Worcester Public Library. This is a talk I am giving for Preservation Worcester ( <i>a group I care deeply about to preserve the beautiful architecture of Worcester</i>). The presentation will be focused around the grand days of shopping in Downtown Worcester, and the various stores that became etched in our memories. </span></span></span></h2>
<h4 align="center" class="style92" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, November 9th,
2:30 pm</span></span></h4>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></h2>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <b>Saxe Room, Worcester Public Library. </b></span></span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <b> Free and open to the public </b></span></span></span></h2>
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" style="width: 713px;"><tbody>
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<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" width="356"><h4 align="center" class="style92">
</h4>
<h4 align="center" class="style92" style="margin-bottom: 0;">
</h4>
<h4 align="center" class="style92" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4 align="center" class="style92" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
<br />
<em>Shopping Around the Common: <br />
Main and Front Streets</em></h4>
<div class="style92" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
Chris Sawyer, Author</div>
<blockquote style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
<div class="style120" style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
Denholm's: The Story of Worcester's<br />
Premier Department Store </div>
</blockquote>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-75992330533749673922014-09-05T16:50:00.000-04:002014-09-05T16:50:12.327-04:00The debate regarding the new muralThere is a lot of talk regarding the new mural on the side of the Denholm building. Some people love it, while others are not so thrilled with the final painting. I personally am keeping my opinion to myself as I do not want to get caught up in all of the debate surrounding this. Below is an article written by Janice Harvey for Worcester Magazine.<br />
Yes, the Denholm building does not look as pristine as it once did now that it is converted to office spaces, but it is still a historic building in the downtown area. I am planning to be able to devote more of my time to beautify it and present a better street-scape and update some of the interiors. Hopefully the building will be able to gain the respect and prominence that it once held in the downtown area again.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brush Strokes Written by Janice Harvey · 08/28/2014 · 5:00 am</b></span><br />
<b> </b><img alt="," class="attachment-600x380 wp-post-image" height="380" src="http://worcestermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/HARVEY_mural.jpg" width="509" /><br />
<br />
<br />
When former City Manager Mike O’Brien announced to the Worcester City
Council plans to facilitate the installation of a large-scale mural on
the blank wall of the Denholm building, he stressed the purpose of such a
task. In a letter dated August 20, 2013, O’Brien stated that such an
undertaking should be “complementary to the character and history of
both the Downtown and the City as a whole.”<br />
So much for the best-laid plans of city managers, mice and men.<br />
The
Denholm building is an iconic structure near and dear to life-long
residents of Worcester. Its glory days invoke for many remembrances of a
simpler time, when “Downtown” was a destination spot, when Main
Street’s businesses, some established before the automobile ruled the
road, still enjoyed healthy foot traffic. Denholm’s was Main Street’s
sparkling gem, literally, during the holiday season, when families
jumped into the station wagon and cruised downtown to view the Christmas
lights that graced store windows.<br />
For me, Denholm’s was a place
that deserved my best behavior. When I climbed down from the #30 bus on a
Saturday, I wore my best shoes, a dress normally saved for Sunday Mass
and white gloves on my hands. At the intersection of Main and Franklin,
my police officer father directed traffic wearing his own white gloves,
spinning on his heels and waving his arms like a conductor facing the
orchestra pit. While much has changed since then, the Denholm building
still stands. Though it is no longer a department store, it serves the
community well as a multi-use property. It remains a familiar anchor for
many, and as such, deserves to be treated with respect.<br />
We all
have our own ideas about what constitutes “art”; there are those among
us who consider anything remotely abstract to be “junk,” whose taste
runs this side of Norman Rockwell. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m
no art critic, but I’ve done my share of mural work. I’m what I call a
decent “rip-off artist” - that is, I can copy anything well enough to
get paid for it. I’ve never attempted work on a grand scale, and I
commend those who try. That said, the mural that now covers the Chatham
Street wall of the Denholm building is all wrong. The only part artist
Caleb Neelon got right regarding O‘Brien’s letter is the “character”
part. It’s a cartoon.<br />
The mural would fit right in on a playground
or a schoolyard, but it has no place on our beloved Denholm building.
It makes no connection to the city’s history, and when I described it as
an “epic fail” on Facebook, there was no shortage of opinions posted.
Local journalist Brian Goslow was his usual diplomatic self, choosing to
comment not on the art itself, rather its impact on the area residents:<br />
“To
the young children of Worcester who walk its cold, dirty streets,
finally something is here that speaks to them, inspired by them.”<br />
Sorry,
Brian, but this mural is not viewed exclusively by children walking to
school. If that’s the target audience, paint this on a schoolyard wall.
This mural is silly and amateurish.<br />
Said Edward Moynihan, after
likening the subject to a plastic Kooshball: “The Kooshball is not
constricted by gender or age or ethnicity or race…it excludes nobody…it
resembles nobody. It is inclusive without hitting you over the head with
a mallet.”<br />
I disagree, Ed. Why must a city as diverse as Worcester be homogenized in paint?<br />
From
Florida, retired Worcester cop Tom Belezarian had this to say: “It’s
part of Worcester history…It’s the same as the White House is to
Washington. Would you paint it red or yellow and feel the same? I doubt
it.”<br />
I’m inclined to agree, Tom, and not because you were my old man’s partner.<br />
Local
artist Howard B. Johnson Jr. got into the kerfluffle – which some
thought was a good name for the character depicted on the wall – and he
didn’t mince words. “It always has been those with no worldly knowledge
aesthetics and professionalism botching up the making of important
decisions here.”<br />
Howard’s proposed artwork was vetoed.<br />
Former
Womag cartoonist Doug Chapel chimed in with this: “This mural says a
lot about how the mural committee people ignored the local talent pool
for no good reason …whitewash this and start over.”<br />
Actually, Doug
said a whole lot more about being ostracized, and cast off as a rabble
rouser, but you get the picture – no pun intended.<br />
Here’s what I
think should have been painted on the side of the good ship Denholm: its
famous logo. The Denholm bag, with its elegant gold and white stripes
and flowing, bold black script, was as recognizable to Worcesterites as
the City Hall clock, the Union Station towers, and the neon wiener of
Coney Island. Whether it’s art, a monstrosity or an eye sore, one
thing’s for certain: the Kooshball sure caused a kerfluffle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHlpzYNErPTF_iVWVABM5pFQIuzV8eWC0v9S1uLFR5bEey91v8Iiue967ONZJ5crbGR2DtGcme-gbqeGgoof2WyQFZloLYi7uKxdet6RuKb7tK_F55-b1ZfU6fegkX58msyuRDxnyuNv5/s1600/bag+graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHlpzYNErPTF_iVWVABM5pFQIuzV8eWC0v9S1uLFR5bEey91v8Iiue967ONZJ5crbGR2DtGcme-gbqeGgoof2WyQFZloLYi7uKxdet6RuKb7tK_F55-b1ZfU6fegkX58msyuRDxnyuNv5/s1600/bag+graphic.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a></div>
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Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-11770285643317960682014-08-03T10:10:00.001-04:002014-08-03T10:10:36.489-04:00New Mural on the Denholm Building<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8_6oaJ7CtDfGArxqxER8hBwVXnbbdbT3TNj0SDhcAUv5Wf636-FkjKhJMjjXM15um5eufnMfkPSkj04B-jolniry1S4sBqGeZp_IughTHvHC_wg91PLpjgrCNCkX4itkzI5yH-q8dlPa/s1600/Denholm-Building.jpg" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Article and picture courtesy of Worcester Magazine</td></tr>
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<h1>
Cambridge artist picked to paint mural on Denholm Building in Worcester</h1>
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<a class="hint tCenter tBold" href="http://worcestermag.com/2014/07/31/cambridge-artist-picked-paint-mural-denholm-building-worcester/25993#comments">1</a> <a class="headIcon" href="http://worcestermag.com/category/city-desk/daily-worcesteria-blog"><span> </span></a><div class="author ">
Written by Walter Bird Jr. · 07/31/2014 · 1:30 pm</div>
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Worcester's
Public Art Working Group (PAWG) has tapped Massachusetts native Caleb
Neelon, who was recently featured in Worcester Magazine's <a href="http://worcestermag.com/2014/06/26/two-minutes-caleb-neelon/24708">"Two Minutes With"</a> feature, to paint a large-scale mural on the historic Denholm Building downtown. Neelon is expected to start Aug. 4.<br />
The
large-scale mural will be put on the Chatham Street side of the Denholm
Building at 484 Main St. Two other murals are being planned for next
summer, according to a press release from the Worcester Cultural
Coalition (WCC) Thursday, July 31.<br />
"Great cities deserve great
art," Cultural Development Director Erin Williams says. "[The city]
encourages and promotes the enrichment of the cultural landscape of the
city through aesthetic improvements of public spaces, uniting artists
and community and inspiring civic pride. This project is an important
first step in that endeavor."<br />
According to the WCC, Neelon has
works throughout the state, in major American cities and in 25
countries. His projects have been done in such places as Turkey and
Spain, the press release states.<br />
"I'll be able to have an ongoing
relationship with the work," Neelon says of the relatively close
proximity of the project to his home in Cambridge.<br />
The four-story
Denholm mural will be among the largest Neelon has ever painted, with
the artist saying, "Walls [like the Denholm's] have so much character
and are exciting to paint."<br />
Public participation is being sought
for the project, which is sponsored by the city and PAWG. Funding is
coming from Converse Inc. and the Worcester Rotary Club, with additional
support from Consigli Construction, the WCC, the city, Economy Paint
Supply and the Trustees of the Denholm Building. Anyone interested in
assisting with the project from Aug. 4-15 is asked to contact Che
Anderson at AndersonC@worcestermagov.<br />
According to the WCC, a
community celebration is being planned for when the mural is finished.
Local youth will also be taking part in a project to complement the
mural.</div>
Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-30551941543125034902014-07-20T13:54:00.001-04:002014-07-20T13:55:05.464-04:00Some more recent Denholms findsI was so lucky to run across these old hand painted signs from Emil Grilli (see earlier post about Emil's work <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://denholms.blogspot.com/2013/08/back-to-school-in-1964.html#links" target="_blank">back-to-school-in-1964</a></span>). These came from a Worcester Antique shop who's owners are related to Mr. Grilli. I was able to acquire around 40 different signs from the store. The original's shown below would have then been copied and placed throughout the store, or the appropriate department. These were the days when all store signage was produced in house by hand.<br />
Below are a few highlights of my favorite images. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTW0EYnK_D9avrPeakGw3txnKH-kdmS4zxOkYjaPL7YkXrKVimi-adNIQ6sgwNj0IuI72phJhfZA7Mdf1jz-Fbp-9sSZVRMQ_zubgRwA0lHuS_7BbmBXx2X9-XtV_Fo-MVeYes5lLSiCU4/s1600/photo+1(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTW0EYnK_D9avrPeakGw3txnKH-kdmS4zxOkYjaPL7YkXrKVimi-adNIQ6sgwNj0IuI72phJhfZA7Mdf1jz-Fbp-9sSZVRMQ_zubgRwA0lHuS_7BbmBXx2X9-XtV_Fo-MVeYes5lLSiCU4/s1600/photo+1(1).jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFQmDyhnsRJ6DYPXICvnV2qZXtOw_rUKRWHfxOFPQJ7ozMcNyVVfAlIGUOV9gKSPH2BH3VobN4yyHYM6RAW-efzQqX-8_43c3um0JXbzG-MN9yrRhYhwvuwin7c-odruzps5BmxgDAsVg/s1600/photo+5.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></div>
Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-24748770821572498782014-06-08T12:25:00.001-04:002014-06-08T12:25:53.339-04:00Summer window display July 1954<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTrPQ3THbo4eObXesEWQUv42xmX3rbVW2ZPlcd_1M0-66wWP_OXgDjZKMnNdcZEQhyphenhyphenivdHI64tS-IAkQiE7K5QSJQpRqa7ltIFRq6iy8ST0nMNf9tsBdzS47i7-XP3n4Tws2SOgflbOgA/s1600/new+d+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTrPQ3THbo4eObXesEWQUv42xmX3rbVW2ZPlcd_1M0-66wWP_OXgDjZKMnNdcZEQhyphenhyphenivdHI64tS-IAkQiE7K5QSJQpRqa7ltIFRq6iy8ST0nMNf9tsBdzS47i7-XP3n4Tws2SOgflbOgA/s1600/new+d+8.jpg" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
Here is a window display from July 1954 to highlight ladies swimsuits. Notice the build out of the swimming pool and the diving mannequin. The brands highlighted are Jenzten, Catalina, and Flexees (popular brands of the era). These were all sold in the Beach Shop located on the third floor. I love the styling of these swimsuits, with the rouched bodice and sweatheart neckline.<br />
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I hope you are all enjoying our well deserved summer!<br />
<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-40398187514995179562014-05-11T06:00:00.000-04:002014-05-11T06:00:01.041-04:00Happy Mothers Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d1GRCNEPzNqLdSOZLchjDmUrVeGxsJsJ_3pg0w8JP2nvH2_dRMuT6TiLk5xm0u6XzQ-RmspzjQro9XKFjpWXXmm_0dbMiz6qKL_PwOtcHTKvkUPy-PJho17DS5yWuM0Uh25bo7dVOapP/s1600/mothers+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d1GRCNEPzNqLdSOZLchjDmUrVeGxsJsJ_3pg0w8JP2nvH2_dRMuT6TiLk5xm0u6XzQ-RmspzjQro9XKFjpWXXmm_0dbMiz6qKL_PwOtcHTKvkUPy-PJho17DS5yWuM0Uh25bo7dVOapP/s1600/mothers+day.jpg" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
This window is a 1957 display for Mothers Day. This display revolves around popular gift items found throughout the Lingerie department on the second floor. Chiffon peignoir sets, house coats, silk underpinnings, and stockings were what most mothers wanted to receive on their special day. Notice the large oversized book made into a shelving display holding various perfumes (Shalimar, White Shoulders, Lily of the Valley) worn during the 1950's<br />
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To all of the mothers who have done so much for us over the years, I hope that you all have an amazing day! We wouldn't be here with you.<br />
<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com5484 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, USA42.262726699999988 -71.802494416.740692199999987 -113.1110884 67.784761199999991 -30.4939004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-36119128561317897332014-05-02T06:00:00.000-04:002014-05-02T08:43:59.199-04:00Recent Denholm and McKay aquisitionsI am always on the hunt for items relating to the Denholm and McKay Company. Here are a few items that I have purchased or received as gifts within the past 6 months. I am really building up the collection and I thank all of you who have reached out to me with items that you have found. A reminder, <u>please do not </u>throw any Denholms memorabilia away! I will save it and hopefully one day be able to showcase my collection for all of you to see.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2HHLXZuK3urfX-293_GRP2jqtDelCYczcuXsYqrotg-PaaXo1JAHoIEOM1v7_FE92aaavUMEmL-A6dAg0rtSqkWMgzCUtSQfZJW0boDULf571KXIswr6ZjoxEP-A9tmFUYdi4x9_dHn2/s1600/denholms+1+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2HHLXZuK3urfX-293_GRP2jqtDelCYczcuXsYqrotg-PaaXo1JAHoIEOM1v7_FE92aaavUMEmL-A6dAg0rtSqkWMgzCUtSQfZJW0boDULf571KXIswr6ZjoxEP-A9tmFUYdi4x9_dHn2/s1600/denholms+1+2.jpg" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denholms tie from my dear friend Pat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy5TJSgYqEr0pOekxQMIl-Sziz1Sp_ZKa0M1gZMAA0Gty1xGkGu1QvWcUwlrEeYXbGE1ouEgYfdiJr6WNBSS7v8H_0bqikKONLrj2F7lYB5qDA6Uwp6TzppbaYPJ0HZeA_ynhTRfAaowb/s1600/denholms+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy5TJSgYqEr0pOekxQMIl-Sziz1Sp_ZKa0M1gZMAA0Gty1xGkGu1QvWcUwlrEeYXbGE1ouEgYfdiJr6WNBSS7v8H_0bqikKONLrj2F7lYB5qDA6Uwp6TzppbaYPJ0HZeA_ynhTRfAaowb/s1600/denholms+1.jpg" height="400" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early 1881 almanac from the store</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeKaK2D62JDCuHrfIGR6XdLs3iZ64PMtAo7teOo4uaE_bHvopSUHZECfOrIR2kitE1Ag4PBNoEE3TR6bCZeWrVu20v12b0Dt-7zVO2F30pqv0zwx8zR3f7xh1mnlysNNDmyBi5BYMQavd/s1600/denholms+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeKaK2D62JDCuHrfIGR6XdLs3iZ64PMtAo7teOo4uaE_bHvopSUHZECfOrIR2kitE1Ag4PBNoEE3TR6bCZeWrVu20v12b0Dt-7zVO2F30pqv0zwx8zR3f7xh1mnlysNNDmyBi5BYMQavd/s1600/denholms+2.jpg" height="400" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backside of almanac</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTYVliCC6gvSGHL1_vf0VGeZgCf7xK_3LGzJOywS1FFU3VmX6tanLVUQ9Obez9xSwRrC-hd2TaO4zeKt2_Bq8fk311-vGW4zOMtkTRXNPCXkQW-xqiBNEhxISyJxDLyEi5TzGCI8pXLKA/s1600/denholms+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTYVliCC6gvSGHL1_vf0VGeZgCf7xK_3LGzJOywS1FFU3VmX6tanLVUQ9Obez9xSwRrC-hd2TaO4zeKt2_Bq8fk311-vGW4zOMtkTRXNPCXkQW-xqiBNEhxISyJxDLyEi5TzGCI8pXLKA/s1600/denholms+3.jpg" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early 1900's silver polish envelope</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSqJTAoieoaFSNtYdVJEXS-pNheGqd5aFd8teVXFA7Ar6rJY6l2dRSFlkSXLHCSJxfCYABU71XZyeeffU0WKqKaFmK3XzzlxqjZoF0DuqplWiR57cwgtfmYquoGCArJXHAQDc-goQNWnl/s1600/denholms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSqJTAoieoaFSNtYdVJEXS-pNheGqd5aFd8teVXFA7Ar6rJY6l2dRSFlkSXLHCSJxfCYABU71XZyeeffU0WKqKaFmK3XzzlxqjZoF0DuqplWiR57cwgtfmYquoGCArJXHAQDc-goQNWnl/s1600/denholms.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a book of poems to read during afternoon tea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutoC66fIR1ErKSrVTR9PdNPrv3b8xvKAWBv1ZXvbabWcYXf99uk_GEABh9OaKAD2E8wLj3UNIYg-dLDPBQ07HmNBV2I6cI3NSr_JXDX-nIEP4eu5RFrkoJK-jB41Riv9ypcaL7MhgiaGr/s1600/denholms+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiutoC66fIR1ErKSrVTR9PdNPrv3b8xvKAWBv1ZXvbabWcYXf99uk_GEABh9OaKAD2E8wLj3UNIYg-dLDPBQ07HmNBV2I6cI3NSr_JXDX-nIEP4eu5RFrkoJK-jB41Riv9ypcaL7MhgiaGr/s1600/denholms+6.jpg" height="117" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pricing ticket from my friend Kathy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZmAxQYG5yhaRh5GT1kVxfNkLa0mnzgll5iLVy8vSH4FQPF0PNZpwwi8xIO0PEnzoIFSnUBWtbn1f_1NWbKOMyaH5CzweY9kqyJT6lBMqiO1YOBTOdgv1yjrzjlQ7Wnf5A4EehMwvNLWJ/s1600/denholms+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZmAxQYG5yhaRh5GT1kVxfNkLa0mnzgll5iLVy8vSH4FQPF0PNZpwwi8xIO0PEnzoIFSnUBWtbn1f_1NWbKOMyaH5CzweY9kqyJT6lBMqiO1YOBTOdgv1yjrzjlQ7Wnf5A4EehMwvNLWJ/s1600/denholms+5.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advertising flyer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNN1TyVe00qq7FuFky7jKVcjwICNyBK0M3_B0ZYr9SN1FSG_9QrgxpJvXWigsOM8sDCptQFNtxbn-xoKTR7y17UWzVGMAKm2yU1VMpObv8hrY0MvPHNIjIPkoHPE18b2dltyarPymxQof/s1600/denholms+4.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denholms box from my dear friend Pat</td></tr>
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<br />Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486909549628973637.post-66609476933056322542014-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:002014-04-20T06:00:03.438-04:00Happy Easter<i>I just wanted to wish everyone the very best for the Easter Holiday.</i>Denholmshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02654847550988498891noreply@blogger.com0